More summer Sega Master System reviews. The Captain Silver review is kind of a "make up" review, since my opinion has changed a bit since discovering there's a superior European version. Feedback is encouraged!

For Wanted, is there a better word than 'dames'? It just has a 1930s-1960s feel, instead an Old West feel. Can you say school marms or saloon girls or pioneer women or something more period appropriate?

Critic, the review of the Europe Captain Silver proves that many games have been given bad export/localization of many games from the past and present. And I probably will request you more games in the same situation like Captain Silver!

So the Captain Silver reviews beg the question of whether the European version will be as enjoyable for first-timers as it is for people who have already tried the US version. Here's what I mean...

My entire life, I didn't own either version. Then, your review last month and the discussion with other readers encouraged me to finally buy the game, and I got the European version. Haven't played it yet. But now your review says that the European version is much harder and it's hard to make progress. Nowadays, it's tough to enjoy a game where you're stuck at Level 2 for weeks. So, was your score of the European version perhaps enhanced by playing the US version first, since the European version felt like an expanded version and you could forgive the difficulty? And will first-time Captain Silver gamers like me consider the European version just a "B" or "C" game because it's so hard to make progress and we won't have the benefit of comparing it to the US version while we play through it?

Retro STrife wrote:... now your review says that the European version is much harder and it's hard to make progress. Nowadays, it's tough to enjoy a game where you're stuck at Level 2 for weeks. So, was your score of the European version perhaps enhanced by playing the US version first, since the European version felt like an expanded version and you could forgive the difficulty? And will first-time Captain Silver gamers like me consider the European version just a "B" or "C" game because it's so hard to make progress and we won't have the benefit of comparing it to the US version while we play through it?

This is an interesting big picture question.

Its hard to unlearn anything, like having played a particular game first, or having skills in a particular genre, or other things. Dave's reviews are based on the amount of fun he had playing the game at that time. Yet the fun in a game is dependent on a lot of things, like a players skill and time to devote to playing the game. A 'feature' of 8 bit gaming is the general lack of difficulty settings. The expectation was a player would enjoy devoting the time to learn each level, each cheap death or boss AI, and learn the skills to execute well enough to beat the level and eventually the game. Difficult was the flavor of the period. This community knows that, but honestly, I don't enjoy that style of gaming as much anymore since I have access to so many more games than I did then its hard to stay focused on mastering one game. Yet I've learned to expect that difficulty. A game is going to be measured against what people expect, whether its No Mans Sky today or the European version of Captain Silver decades ago. The expectation for the Euro Captain Silver is going to be set against the experience of tne American version for many of us.

Retrostrife,I don't think the difficulty would deter me from recommending the European Captain Silver.One thing about this game is that enemies always attack in particular patterns, so while it might require a lot of replays to figure them all out, you'd make gradual progress. It's not like you'd be hitting a wall or dying at random.VGC

VideoGameCritic wrote:Retrostrife,I don't think the difficulty would deter me from recommending the European Captain Silver.One thing about this game is that enemies always attack in particular patterns, so while it might require a lot of replays to figure them all out, you'd make gradual progress. It's not like you'd be hitting a wall or dying at random.VGC

I've had my Master System hooked up this week, so I finally got around to testing this out. Quick recap--last fall, we were debating whether the difficulty of the UK version of Captain Silver made it inferior to the US version, even though the UK version had more levels and features. Well, after that, I bought the UK game on your recommendation and then grabbed up the US version when I unexpectedly stumbled upon a cheap loose copy in a game store a few weeks later. Both had been sitting since then, but I just played them together. I have to say, I think the difficulty does make a difference and makes the US version better. Yes, the UK version had more to it, but what good is that if you never see it? Maybe I just suck, but I was able to get much further with the US game and had more fun as a result. That being said, I'm still glad I bought the UK version, because it's cool to play the two of them together and see the differences.